Composite floor structure



oct. v18, 1927. l1,646,183

P. H. BEVIER COMPOSITE FLOOR STRUCTURE Filed May 8, 1924 Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITEDSTATES rATENroFFIfcE.

PHILIP H. BEVIER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONALr FIRE PROOF- ING QOMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA. f

Application filed May s,

|The present invention relates particularly to composite fioor structures, and more particularly to animproved tile for use therein, Wherebythe strength of the floor is materially increased. 1 p

It is well known that ordinary hollow tiles have a ma'terially greater strength inlcompression than in tension. It is therefore one of the objects of the present invention to so form a tile that when in Vposition in a floor structure, the load will be effectively transmitted to portions Aof the tile-andthe composite structure capable of most efficiently carrying the same.Y

Another object of the present invention 1s to reinforce the upper wall of each ofthe hollow tiles to prevent accidental breaking through thereof by providing reinforcing means of such nature that a balanced tile structure is produced having a comparatively uniform wall Vthickness with narrow bracing webs disposed to afford maximum protection in the event of fire.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown for purposes of illustration only'oertain preferred embodiments ofthe invention, it being understood that the drawings do not define the limits of my invention, as changes in the vconstruction and operation thereof may be made, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the broader claims. y

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of one formk of tile; y f Figure 2 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of tile; and

Figure 3 is a section through a composite floor structure taken transversely yof the tiles. The tile of the present invention while adapted to different uses is specifically adapted for use in a composite floor structure of the character illustrated in the pat-ent to Toupet, No. 1,404,710` of January 24, 1922. In such a structure, the maincom- 'Y pression member is composed of tiles which are preferably of burnt clay, although cement or concrete tiles may be used. l

These tiles, which are indicated generally at 2 in the drawings, are laid in longitudinal parallel coarses, the tiles in each course being placed end to end, but adjacent courses being separated laterally from each ooivrrosrrn moon STRUCTURE.

1924. Serial No. 711,840.

`secure proper interlocking between the adj acent tiles or between the covering materials and; the tiles. The offset side walls-are formed Vby providing laterally projecting bottom ribs v7,' whose lower surfaces form continuations ofthe bottom of thel tile.

These bottom ribs areof a width equal to substantially half the width of the space` desired 4between adjacentvcourses of tile, and which arevadapted to be filled with suitable plastic material 8, reinforced with metal. This plastic material should be of vcarefully selected composition, possessing sub'` stantiallly the'same strengthl orfresist'ance to compressive loads per :unit yof area as the compressive resistance of the tile, whereby the floor structure is of uniformystrength.

Theside walls of the. tile are formed with longitudinally extending grooves 9, preferably somewhat dovetailed in form and forming an effective bonding meansy for the plastic'fillings 8. They also give'thesey fill# ings a shear engagement with thev tiles, whereby the greater area of the structure is placed in shear, and they also form supportving means for metal reinforcements or ties in the'r manner hereinafter more fully pointed out.

It will be apparent that, if desired, however, the grooves 9 Vmay beomittedentirely and the grooves relied upon for effectively interlocking'the tiles and the plastic filling.

viding a continuous bottomA surface to receive plaster or the like, and at the same time forming a closure for the bottoms of the'spaces between` the tile courses, enabling the plastic 'filling to be easily poured into position.y c n y It'is well recognised that the top and When laid in position, the projecting ribs 7 are in abutting engagement,-thereby pro-y same are effectively reinforced.

thereof incomgressicn, such walls may be.

. easily broken through. In thel pres,entflconf` stiiictiom'in order toMeifectiv'ely reinforce the top wall 3 and prevent crushingor breaking through thereof, there are" providei'l bracing Webs l0, extending divergently from the center of the upper wall and the side walls 5, preferably adjacent `the bottom of the grooves 9. i

A second set of bracingwebs 1l extend ionvergently from the vpoints of intersection of thebracing websl() with the sideV walls to the center of the `bottom walla. By reference morepartcularly to'Figure 35 it will be apparentthata load represented by thearrow I; in said ligure will be transmitted throughthe.bracingwebs 10 to the plastic llings 8, as indicated by the arrows L. This will place 'the upper portion ofthe tile, including the bracing webs 10, in compression. Thisy will develop compressive forces which will be transmitted to the plastic fillings 8 from opposite sides thereof effective for, in .turn,` placing such Afillings under compression, in which theyj are capable of withstanding a maximum load.l Due to the divergency ofthe lbracingwebs `l0,

there will be a resultant downward load as represented by the arrowsY L In orderto provide a direct ,reinforcement for such loads, metallicreinforces 12 maybe effectively utilized, serving as tension members. These tension members `may be mounted', as suggestedV in the patent referred to, .being normally held in position by straps ori stiriiips 13, having hooked upper endportioi'is 14;, which engage `thebottom walls of the longitudinal grooves l9. In this mannen a maximum floor strength is provided. 4.The bracing webs ll extending `from thebottom wall to thepointlof intersection of the webs l0 with the V side `walls serve l afs bracing means for the bottom ivalhl y a. p

In rfloor structures of the character co`ntemplated bythe lpresentinvention,.it is customary to so proportion the streneth of the respective parts that the neiitraraxis will be slightly abovethe inedianplane of the tiles. c It-willbe notedvthat'the lgrooves 9 are located so: as to be abovevthe neural axis and that the bracing webslOj and ll intersect the. side walls at a point such that the relatively heavier body provided at these pointswillbe abovelthe` neutral axis andthereby elfe tive in compression for carw rying maximum loads. M

ThisV constitutes nan "important adivijantagre lofthe present invention. The bracingl webs also formi a bilaterally symmetrical V tile which while not reversible with respect to asldescribed.

its upper and lower walls` is reversible enzl for end, lthereby facilitating` laying thereof. The bracing webs are also so' disposed that a mazimum amount of material is effective in case of lire between the top and bottoni walls and in theevent of` breakage of either of these walls. The braciiiniebs also render the Atiles largely .sound proof, dueto trio fact that they break the interior of the tiles up into separate cells, thereby compelling` sound vibrations to pass through a number of separated walls. i i It willbe understood tliattli'e present door structure` is constructed .in accordance Vwith what is `known as the straight line formula, in which the amount of tile material. in compression Vabove the neutral'axis `of the liooigmultiplied by the average compressive stress to which such matter is subjected, is equal to the` area ofv the reinforced metal iii tension7 multiplied by the allowabletension stresses `on such reinforcing" material. The amount of lmaterial` in `compression thereby becomes of considerable importance. as is also the location of the bracing webs 1Q, tending to directly transmit such compresiyn compression, rather than tov somepoint below the vneutral axis of the tile lwhere the tile is initension. j i. i f

The advantagesof the present invention arise from the provision of `ai compositeloor .structure `of the character set Aforth composed of tiles constructed to have a substantiallportion thereof in compression and to transmit `sive stresses to other" portionslof the` com posite :floor structure whichfare themselves IUD compressivestressesdirectly to theside walls V of the tile and to the between.

Iclaim:..YV i yl'. A hollow tile for floor structures,` having substantially flat upperand lower walls,

plastic lil-linge there- -side walls extendingbetween `sai'dupfier and lower walls, bracingwebs extending` divergently from the center of theiippeitwall to the side walrlsy'and bracing webs extendingv convergently from the points of intersec- `tion of thelirstlmentioned bracing,` webs and wall',

side walls to the center ofthe lower substantially as described. i

QLAholloiv tllefor floor strucgturesA,` hav# les llO

ing;r substantially flat upper ancllower walls, i"

side wallsextending between' said upperand lower wa`lls,f bracing webs` extendingwdivergently fromvthe center of the upper walll to the 'side walls and intersecting the side walls above the computed neutral axis of th'e i tile; and bracing` webs extending convergenth ly from the points of intersection of therirst mentioned bracing webs and side walls to the center of' the flower wall, substantially i 3. A hollowtile forfloor.structures, hav ing substantially. llatnpper and lower iv-valle, side walls extending between said upper-and lower walls, bracing webs extending divergently from the center of the upper wall to the side walls, and bracing webs extending convergently from the points ol intersection of the first lmentioned bracing webs and side walls to the center o1 the lower` wall, said tile being bilaterally symmetrical and having grooves in certain oit the walls thereof, substantially as described.

4. A hollow tile, for floor structures, having substantially flat upper and lower walls, side walls extending between said upper and lower walls, bracing webs extending divergently from the center of the upper wall to the side walls, and bracing webs extending couver-gently from the pointsof intersection oit' the first mentioned bracing webs and side walls to the center of the lower ing substantially flat upper and lower walls,A

the upper wall being thicker than the lower wall, side walls extending between said upper and lower walls, bracing webs extending divergently from the center of the upper wall tothe side walls,`and bracing webs extending convergently from thepoints of intersection of the first mentionedv bracing webs and side walls yto the center ofthe lower Wall, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof AIr have hereunto set my hand. f

` PHILIP H. BEVER.. 

